Kurti and Vučič sit at a table/ The Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority is discussed

2023-05-02 18:32:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kurti and Vu?i? sit at a table/ The Association of municipalities with a

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The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, started the joint meeting in Brussels, with the mediation of European Union officials.

The EU said that they expect the parties to "approve the declaration on missing persons, as the first item on the agenda" , and that this will be followed by " the presentation and discussions on the draft statute for the formation of the Association of Majority Municipalities" Serbian " in Kosovo.

Before the meeting, Vucic wrote on Instagram that " it will be difficult ".

"Against us are all the greats in the West," he said, without clarifying who exactly he was referring to.

"However, we have the law and justice on our side. More important than this is that they do not understand how strong the love of freedom is and how strongly you can guard it. Despite all the pressures" , said Vucic.

Brussels, 2 May 2023

Kurti, before the meeting, spoke with the special envoy of the United States for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar.

A day earlier, he also spoke with the adviser of the US Department of State, Derek Chollet, who expressed the expectations of the US for a constructive meeting between Kurti and Vucic, as well as for progress in the talks, especially on the issue of the Association.

On the negotiating table today is the draft statute for the formation of this association, drawn up by a management team, consisting of four members of the Serbian community - including a member of the Serbian Parliament.

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said earlier that a draft of the Association's statute would have to be presented by Kosovo, because "we dare not allow the draft of the so-called management team, which in reality is Vucic's draft , to become the basis of negotiations".

For this association, Kosovo and Serbia have reached an agreement since 2013, but it has never been implemented.

Serbia has constantly insisted on wider powers for it, while Kosovo has said that such would undermine the functionality of the state.

Kurti and Vucic met for the last time in Ohrid, on March 19, when they verbally agreed on the implementation of a new agreement that should lead to the normalization of relations between the two countries.

This agreement, previously known as the European proposal, requires both parties to implement all agreements reached within the dialogue for the normalization of relations, including the one for the Association.

It does not envisage mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia, but asks them not to hinder each other in the integration processes.

Until now, the only fulfilled point of the agreement is the establishment of the Joint Monitoring Committee that will supervise the implementation of the agreement./ REL